It was a cold day in February 1987.. theaters were alive and screaming with the debut of NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3.. the Dream Warriors.
Recently it was reported that Wes Craven came to dislike this sequel the most, even while horror fans showcase it as one of the greatest sequels (and maybe movies) of all of the NIGHTMARE saga..
I even remember myself, strolling around a local mall that is now no more. I was the tender age of 6. Memories abound of the famed NIGHTMARE 3 poster. It was one of the greatest movie posters of all time. It also remains as one of the most nostalgic pieces of horror from the 1980s.
There is something really cool about the art work. NIGHTMARE 4 and 5 tried to keep the magic alive with version their art.
But something remained ingrained in the brain about DREAM WARRIORS. Maybe it was the fact that kids who were forgotten in society bound together defeat the man of their dreams. They also had to encounter their own personal hell. Drug addiction.. fear. . outcasts.. disabilities.
The imagery of these societal ‘misfits’ staring down their fears in the eyes… It’s beautiful.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors was produced on a budget of $4.5 million. The budget was in keeping with the previous two entries. It ended up earning over $44 million at the box office in the weeks it was in theaters.